In an effort to provide quality rootstocks for fruits and nuts, we, the inventors, typically hybridze a moderate number of almond seedlings each year. The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of peach-almond hybrid tree, which has been denominated varietally as ‘ARTHUR V’.
The present variety was hybridized by us in the spring of 1980, planted in our nursery that fall, and transplanted as one of about three thousand seedlings to one of our cultivated almond orchards the following winter near Le Grand, Calif. in Merced County (San Joaquin Valley). The variety was developed as a fruit generation cross using ‘Titan’ (unpatented) almond as the selected seed parent and ‘Nemaguard’ (unpatented) peach as the selected pollen parent. The crossing was accomplished by carefully isolating alternate trees of the ‘Titan’ almond, which is self-sterile, with the ‘Nemaguard’ peach, which was the only available pollen source. Over the years the present variety showed to be much more vigorous and healthier than its sister seedlings in the orchard described above, and was thus selected by us to multiply and further test as a potential rootstock. Subsequent to origination of the present variety of peach-almond hybrid tree, we asexually reproduced it using tissue culture techniques, and such reproduction of plant and fruit characteristics were true to the original plant in all respects. Such reproductions were transplanted into our test orchard located a few miles from the original tree and were carefully evaluated. After showing several outstanding characteristics, we determined the variety to have commercial value as a prunus rootstock.
The present variety is similar to its selected seed parent, ‘Titan’ almond by producing almonds that are sweet in flavor with a thin, well sealed shell, but is distinguished therefrom by using much more vigorous, by being more tolerant of calcareous soil conditions, by being somewhat resistant to root-knot nematode, and by having a more prolific root system for stronger anchorage.
The present variety is similar to its selected pollen parent, ‘Nemaguard’ peach, by acting as a rootstock for prunus varieties that is somewhat resistant to root-knot nematode, that is not very tolerant of heavier soils and excess water, and that is susceptible to crown gall, oak-root fungus, phytophthora, bacterial canker and crown rot, but is distinguished therefrom by having a much stronger root system, by being more drought tolerant, and by being much more vigorous to provide better growth in marginal soils.
The variety is most similar to ‘Hansen 2168’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,210) by being a peach almond hybrid tree that is utilized primarily as a rootstock for prunus varieties that is vigorous, nematode resistant, deep rooting and drought tolerant, but is distinguished therefrom by having globose glands, by blooming later, by having fruit that matures in September instead of August, by having light yellow green flesh toward the stone instead of red, and by having a sweet kernel that can be used as an almond for human consumption instead of a bitter kernel.